Improvement in street-railway switches



B. BEVELANDER.

STREET RAILWAY SWITCH.

Patented Apri118, 1876.

rib/176,161.

N.PETERS, PHOTO-LIINOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. n C

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

BENJAMIN BEVELANDER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET-RAILWAY SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 176,l61, dated April 18, 1876; application filed January 31, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BEVELAND- .ER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and this specification.

Figure l is a plan of the switch, showing my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection of the same, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

The frogs A A are plain solid castings, with short immovable tongues'or points a a and converging grooves b 1). Immediately in front of the tongues a a are the diagonal openings 0 0, arranged at a somewhat greater angle in relation to the main track than the angle formed by the converging tracks. Arranged to revolve on suitable bearings beneath the openings are the guidingwheels B B, adjusted to operate in the openings, rising above the level of the grooves about half the height of the flange-rails, and closing the openings. The surface of the grooves abutting the openings is built up to correspond with the curvature of the wheels.

The above description embraces the principal features of my invention. If, however, it is desirable to assist the sliding of the rear car-wheels as the front ones enter the switch, the wheel D may be inserted in the outer main rail to rise slightly above the tread, and help the action of the guiding-wheels in throwing the car onto the switch by relieving the friction caused by the creep.

The operation of switching is regulated by the brake; for instance, if it is desirable to continue on the straight track, the brakes are not applied, and the carwheels pass the guiding-wheels without developing any friction, and consequently are not turnedfrom a straight direction. WVhen, however, it is necessary to turn from the straight or main track, the brake is applied sufficiently to create a friction between the contiguoussurfaces of the car-Wheels and guiding-wheels, thus causing the guiding-wheels to throw the front wheels onto the side track.

It is requisite merely to cause the car-wheels to revolve less easily than the guiding-wheels to insure their operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a horse-railway switch, the guidingwheels 0 0, arranged to project their peripheries diagonally across the grooves in the frogs at an angle greater than that of the converging rails, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a horse-railway switch, the combination of the frog A with the guiding-wheel c, substantialiy as described.

3. The combination of the frog A and guiding wheel, substantially as described, with the wheel D, all arranged and operating substantially as described.

BENJ. BEVELANDER. Witnesses:

GEo. W. COPELAND, FEED. F. RAYMOND. 

